Snap-hook.



No. 734,380. PATENTBD JULY 21, 1903.

R. R. WADDBLL.

SNAP HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.4.1903.

No MODEL.

mafnfoz UNrrao STATES atented Jl'uly 21', 1902;.

PATENT OFFICE.

RoBER'rR. wADD-ELL, oFciNoINNfA'rr, oHIo.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters; Patent No.734,380, dated July 21,1903. Application filed March 4,1903. Serial Noi-(146,.190. (Noznodel.)

T0 a/ZZ whom, t may concern/:

Be it known that I, ROBERT R. WADDELL, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented new and useful Improvements in Snap-Hooks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in snap-hooks; andits object is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of thischaracter which does not require the use of pivot-pins, screws, or othersimilar se'- curing devices. p

The invention consists in. providing ahook the body of whichv is slottedto receive a latch which is arranged therein and is held normally incontact with the end of a hook by means of a spring-plate, which servesto support and prevent displacement of the latch.

The invention also consists inl the novel construction and combinationof parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed,land illustratedin the .accompanying4 drawings, showing the preferred form of myinvention7 and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of'my improvedsnap-hook. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.- Fig. 3 is a centrallongitudinal section. Fig. 4. is a detail view of the spring of saidhook, Fig. 5 is a detail view of the latch. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan viewof the hook with a'modied form of spring, and Fig. 7 is a detail viewAof a modilied form of latch. y

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is the body of'thesnap-hook, having an inwardly-turned hook 2 integral with one endthereof, and at the other end of said body is formed an eye 3, having adovetailed groove 4 in the inner wall thereof. A slot 5 is formedlongitudinally Within body 1 and receives a latch 6, which'has its upperedge inclined and one end 7 of which normally extends under andvcontacts with the end of the hook 2. An arm 8 extends from the otherend of the latch and rests upon and is supported by the body 1. Anextension 9 is arranged upon the lower edge of the latch, and the endsthereof are concaved, as shown at l0 and 11, the end 10 being so shapedas to receive one of the end walls of the slot 5. The extension 9projects through a slot 12, which is formed within a spring-plate 13,and an eX tension M projects from one end of vthis plate atan anglethereto and is adapted to fit With- .in the dovetailed groove 4 and besecured therein by swaging. It will be understood that the spring-platewill hold the latch' at all times in contact with the end of the hook 2.An ear 15 is formed at the end of the latch nearest hook 2 and isadapted-to bear downward upon the Spring'plate when said latch isdepressed. Y

In operation when the inclined face of the latch is brought into contactwith a link or any other similar object said latch is de-` pressed andforces spring-plate 13 downward until the inner end 7 of the latch ispassed and released, when said spring will return the latch to normalposition. During the movement of the latch within the slot the concavedend 10 of extension 9 bears upon the adjacent en'd wall of the slot 5,and the opposite concaved end of said extension bears upon lthe end ofslot 12, and thereby reduces friction and Wear to a minimum.

. portion 18 of the slot, and when the spring is vdrawn longitudinallythereon said head will overlap the sides of the slot, as shown in saidFig. 6.

In lieu of the construction above described the latch and spring maybeformed integral, as shown in Fig. 7. By referring to said Iigure itwill be seen that this modified form comprises a spring 20, which .isbent upon itself at one end, as' shown nat 21,V to form a bow-spring andis provided with an extension 22, adapted to be secured within thedovetailed groove 4 in the manner described in relation to the deviceillustrated in Fig. 1.' Laterally-extending ears are formed integral IOOwith the other end of the plate 2O and are adapted to be bent upward andpressed together to form a latch 23, which is preferably provided with abeveled end, as illustrated.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of myinvention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware thatmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve theright to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of myinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. In asnap-hook, the combination with a longitudinally-slotted body having ahook at one end, and an eye at the other end thereof; of alongitudinally-slotted spring-plate se cured to the body, a latchextending through the slot-s in the body and plate and normallycontacting with the end of the hook, and an arm to the latch bearingupon the body.

2. In a snap-hook, the combination with a body having alongitudinally-extending slot therein, and a hook at one end of thebody; of a slotted spring-plate secured to the body, a latch extendingthrough the slots in the body and plate and having concaved ends bearingupon opposite ends of the slots, respectively.

3. In a snap-hook, the combination with a body having alongitudinally-extending slot therein, and a hook at one end of theslot; of a slotted spring-plate secured to the body, a latch normallycontacting with the end of the hook, an extension thereto projectingthrough the slots and having concaved ends bearing upon opposite ends ofthe slots in the body and plate, respectively, and an arm to the latchbearing upon the body.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT R. VVADDELL.

Witnesses:

WALTER R. WADDELL, THos. I-I. BINGHAM.

